Ms. Lewis Presents Grammar Tips for YOU!!!!

All too common mistakes are: Misuse of “their,” “there,” & “they’re” Misuse of “your” and “you’re” Misuse of “to, “two,” & “too” Misuse of “should’ve” & “should of” Misuse of apostrophes Misuse of “lie” & “lay” Misuse of “who” & “whom” Misuse of “I” & “me”

there/ their/ they’re “there” is a place…. (Ex. “over there”) Sentence: “There are my keys!!” Sentence: “Have you ever been there?” Which sentence is used correctly? “There car is out of gas.” or “I saw him there.”

Your vs. You’re “Your” is the possessive form of you. ex. Is that your sweater? I saw your sister yesterday. Your eyes are brown. “You’re” is a contraction of “you are.” ex. You’re fun to be around. You’re invited to my party. I know you’re scared of the dark!

to, too, and two “To” means “in the direction of” “To” is also part of the infinitive form of a verb (to + verb) ex. Jeremy walks to school. Jasmine likes to sing. ex. I go to church on Sundays. I need to talk to you.

to, two, and too (cont’d) “Two” is a number, only! ex. I have two puppies. Two men were chosen for the committee. “Too” means “very” or “also.” ex. I have too much to do. You’re in this class too? That is way too expensive! I want to go too.

should have vs. should of “Should have” is an auxiliary verb. ex. I should have known better. I should have studied for this test. Mike should have invited you. “Should of” is WRONG and should never be used!! Frequent misuse - I should of asked my mom first.

Misuse of Apostrophes Using an apostrophe to show the possessive form of “it.” Ex. The puppy followed it’s mother. WRONG! Should be … The puppy followed its mother. (Why? Because “it’s” looks like the contraction for “it is” which can be confusing!) Now you try: The bird built it’s nest. (Right or wrong?)

More apostrophe ERRORS! Many students make the mistake of adding apostrophes whenever a word ends with “s.” ex. Maria sing’s well. WRONG ex. Merry Christmas from the Martin’s! WRONG ex. All of the dance’s this year have been fun. WRONG ex. Tiger’s are dangerous animals. WRONG

Apostrophe Tips Apostrophes are used to show omitted letters in contractions ex. I’ve, we’ve, should’ve, you’re, they’re didn’t, don’t, couldn’t, weren’t, isn’t, he’s, it’s Apostrophes are also used to show possession: ex. Mark’s hat, Jan’s dog, Billy’s truck

Let’s practice!! Add apostrophes as needed: Jessicas dress was bright red. Mark isnt going to the dance. Tonys so easy to get along with. The bear carried its cub in its mouth. Its not as difficult as it looks. Best Wishes from the Smiths. Mrs. Lewis room smells good.

“Lie” vs. “Lay” The verb “lay” means “put.” Ex. Lay (put) the keys on the table. Lay (put) the baby in the crib. Why don’t you lay your bags down? The verb “lie” means “to rest or recline.” Ex. I think I will lie down a while. I can’t wait to lie on the beach. I plan to lie in bed all day.

Now you try!! I don’t normally ______ in bed this late. Babies shouldn’t _____ on their stomachs. _____ the baby on her back. _____ my keys on the night stand. I usually ____ on my left side while sleeping. _____ still so I can remove your bandage! Don’t ____ your dirty shoes on the carpet!

“Who” or “Whom”?? Students often have trouble deciding when to use “whom” instead of “who.” Who is for subjects and predicate nominatives. Ex. Who is that woman? Ask her who invited her.

Who/ Whom continued… Whom: is the objective case used for direct objects, indirect objects and objects of prepositions. Ex. Whom did you see at the mall? They told her whom she could invite. Whom does the new kitten like best? Please let me know to whom you sent the tickets.

“I” vs “Me” “I” is a pronoun that serves as a subject or a predicate nominative. Ex. He and I are friends. I enjoyed the movie. You and I should go shopping. T.J., Sandy, and I are going.

“I” vs. “Me” cont’d “Me is a singular pronoun that is used as a direct object, indirect object, or object of preposition Ex. Give the ball to me, please. Did you tell me to call you? The teacher called on Brian and me. The gift is from Sarah and me. Is the cake for Jan or for me?

Let’s practice!!! Beverly and ____ are going to the game. Do you want to go to the game with Beverly and ____? John gave ____ a birthday present. Mike and ____ sent out the invitations. Liz sent a thank you note to Bert and ___. Did you do that for ____? He and ____ don’t get along.

More to come…. As time allows, this power point will grow, as should your knowledge of proper grammar usage. This is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to reviewing for the EOC! Don’t stop here!! Continue to challenge yourself with online quizzes such as: http://wwh.abss.k12.nc.us/modules/cms/pages.phtml?pageid=9530